Marking machine



March 1, 1939- c. A. PUTNAM ET AL 2,151,230

MARKING MACHINE Filed July '7, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet l {a 20 w\ a (44 2429 572384 s4 22 as 5 ID a= lnvenTors.

6 Claude A.PuTnam Chafle E Robbins kywmrff March 21,1939. Q PUTNAM ET AL 2,151,230

MARK ING MACHINE Filed July '7, 1937 4 sheets-sheet 2 920 lnvenTors.

5 Claude APuTnam 6 'Churles ERobbins ATTyS.

March 21, c PUTN M ET AL 2,151,230

MARKING MACHINE Filed July 7, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Fig.6.

27 11.. 7 ,5: I 1s 24 as 4-0 Y FigB. Fig.9.

, Figll. F1 12.

invenTors. Claude APuTncm Charles F Robbins b WMzW ATTys.

Margh 21, 1939.

c. A. PUTNAM' ET AL MARKING MACHINE Filed July '7, 1957 FiglS.

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 lnvenTovs.

Patented Mar. 21, 1939 MARKING MACHINE Claude A. Putnam and Charles F. Robbins, Keene, N. H., assignors to Markem Machine Company, Keene, N. H., a corporation of New Hampshire Application July '7, 1937, Serial No. 152,326

9 Claims.

This invention relates to marking machines of the type in which the printing head is provided with a plurality of independently adjustable type wheels for printing a line of printed characters,

trating our improvement, said figure showing the auxiliary type members in operative position;

Fig. 2 is a View similar to Fig. 1 but showing the supporting frame for the auxiilary type memand is also provided with auxiliary type members bers swung downwardly; 5 for printing additional lines of characters above Fig. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view illusand below the line which is printed by the type trating the manner in which the auxiliary frame wheels, or carrier is drawn forwardly to render the rear One of the objects of the present invention is set of auxiliary type members accessible;

19 to provide a novel construction which facilitates Fig. 4 S a f m n ary sectional view of a the change of those auxiliary type members which printing head embodying our invention but showare in the rear of the type wheels. ing a d t ielm thereef;

In these marking machines the auxiliary type 5 iS a p View Of e Supporting a e members are usually carried by a supporting and auxiliary frame or carrier on which the auxframe which is pivotally mounted on the printing iliery typ members are mounted; 15

head and is adapted to be swung out of its opera- 6 s a Sect on t e line 6-6, Fig. 5; tive position away from the type wheels when the Figs- 9 and 10 are p p ve V ews showauxiliary type members are to be changed. This ing different forms of auxiliary type members; downward swinging movement of the supporting gs- 13 show some of the different imframe exposes the type members on the front of prints Which can be made With a machine 20 the type wheels so that they can be readily bodyiilg 0 invention; changed, but if the supporting frame carries type 14 iS Sectional P p v V eW taken on members situated at the rear of the type wheels the line it has heretofore been necessary to remove the g- 15 is View Of the Carrier ux y auxiliary frame from the head in order to effect rame that supp ts e au ary yp m rs; 25 a, change f uch type b r Fig, 16 is a view of the type member shown in In our present invention we mount the auxil- 9 trat e printing Surface thereof; iary type members on a carriage or auxiliary 17 is a fragmentary face V Of auXiliary frame which is slidably mounted in the main supype members designed to Print tWO l es.

porting frame that is pivoted to the printing head, Our improvements are adapted to be embodied 30 the construction being such that when the main n marking machines of different yp but W supporting frame has been swung downwardly have chosen herein to show it as it might be away from the type wheels the auxiliary frame embodied in a a ng machine of the type or carriage can be pulled forwardly, thus bringing Shown in Patents 1,974,753, September those auxiliary type members that are normally 1934, 2,006,302, June 1935. 35 in the rear of the type wheels into a poistion in In the drawings, l indicates a P n ad front of the type wheels where a change can be of a marking machine of the ype S W in the easily effected. above-mentioned patents and which is provided A further object of our invention is to provide W a plurality of independently Settable yp a novel construction which permits of using type Wheels 2, i type Wheels being et ve y mount- 40 members adapted to print two or more lines above ed on a cyimder Support Each p Wheel is or below the line which is printed by the type formiajd on petlphery Wlth mummy of type characters on the type whee1s carrying pro ections 4, and recesses 32 between Other objects of the invention are to improve i g i Each prolecltton a type h generally printing machines of this type in the on 1 s a i g m prmtmg machmes manner hereinafter more fully set forth. 0 1s chamc 9 typ? characters 5 may be numerals or letters depending upon the charac- Inasmuch as our invention relates entirely to of the imprint which is to be made and any the printinghead of a markmg machine We have usual or suitable means such as a setting wheel not thought it necessary to illustrate the complete 5 may be employed fo individually Setting the 50 machine but have confined the drawings the type wheels. It will be understood, of course, that p ng head thereof. the printing head is mounted for vertical move- In the drawings: ment toward and from a platen on which the Fig. 1 is a side view of a printing head of a work to be marked is supported. marking machine with parts broken out and illus- As stated above the present invention relates 5 5 to that type of marking machine which embodies auxiliary type members designed to print a line or lines of characters additional to that printed by the type wheels 2.

In Figs. 1 to 3 we have shown one set of auxiliary type members 1 having type characters 8 adapted to print a line in front of that printed by the type wheels 2, and a second set of auxiliary type members 9 having type characters l0 adapted to print a line in the rear of that printed by the type wheels 2. These auxiliary type members l and 9 are mounted in a supporting frame H which is pivotally mounted on the shaft l2 extending transversely of the printing head in the rear of the type wheels so that said frame can swing from its operative position shown in Fig. 1 into a lowered position shown in Fig. 2.

In order to provide for readily removing and replacing the rear auxiliary type members 9 when a change in the character of the printing is desired, we propose to mount the auxiliary type members on a carriage or auxiliary frame: l3 which in turn is slidably mounted on the supporting frame H so that when the supporting frame 8 I has been swung downwardly into the lowered position shown in Fig. 2 the auxiliary frame or carrier I3 may be pulled forwardly to render the type members 8 and 9 readily accessible.

The main supporting frame H is a skeleton frame having the two side members l4 that are connected at the rear by a tie rod l5 and at the front by a second tie rod l3. The tie rod IB is mounted in ears I! which extend upwardly from the front ends of the side rails M. The auxiliary frame or carriage I3 is shown in Fig. 15, and it is a skeleton frame having the two side rails [8 which fit between the side rails M of the main frame II and are provided with outwardly extending flanges I9 which rest and slide on tracks 20 with which the side rails M of the main frame ll are provided.

The side rails 58 of the auxiliary frame l3 are connected by rods 2|, 22, 23, 24 on which the auxiliary type members are removably supported. At the front end of the auxiliary frame l3 each side rail I8 has secured thereto the upwardly inclined member 25 and'the upper ends of said members are connected together by the rods 26. 21 indicates a thumb piece which is carried. by the rods 26 and which forms a handle by which the carrier or auxiliary frame l3 may be moved back and forth on the main supporting frame ll Each auxiliary type member 1 is made as shown in Figs. 7 and 8. It is formed at one end with an open slot 28 adapted to receive the rod 23 of the auxiliary frame and at its rear end with a downwardly facing open slot 29 adapted to receive the rod 24. The type member is formed at one end with the head portion 30 having a convex upper face 3! of a shape to fit the concave recess 32 between the type-bearing projections 4 of the type wheel, and the type member is also formed with the inclined upper face 33 having the correct angle to lie flatly against the type character 5 of the type-carrying projection 41) which is adjacent that type-carrying projection that is in operative printing position. The type character 8 on the type member I may be situated closely adjacent the end of the head 39 so that when the type member is in place as shown in Fig. 1, the type character 8 of the auxiliary type member lies closely adjacent the type character 5 of the printing wheel which is in printing position.

The auxiliary type members 9 have substantially the same construction. Each member has at one end a horizontal open slot 34 to receive therod 22 and at its other end it has a vertical open slot 35 to receive the rod 2|. Each type member 9 is also formed at one end with the head portion 36 having the convex surface 31 to fit the curve of the recess 32 between adjacent type-carrying projections 4, and it is also formed with the inclined top face 38 against which the type character 5 of the type-carrying projection 4a rests when the parts are in operative position as shown in Fig. 1. The type characters IU of the auxiliary type members 9 are situated on the under side thereof at the end having the head portion 36, and these type characters are thus situated closely adjacent the type characters 5 of the printing wheels which are in printing position.

When the parts are in operative position, as shown in Fig. 1, the auxiliary type members I and 9 are backed by the type wheels and thus any pressure against the type characters 8 and ID of the auxiliary members is transmitted directly to'the type wheels through the head portions 39 and 36 of said type members.

These type members I and 9 are removable so that any type member can be removed and replaced by another one. A change in the front auxiliary type members 1 can be made by simply swinging the supporting frame ll downwardly into its open position shown in Fig. 2. When in such position the front auxiliary type members I are accessible so that anyone of them can be removed by first raising the end nearest the operator off from the rod 24 and then withdrawing the type member from the rod 23. A different type member may be placed in position by a reverse operation.

If it is desired to remove one of the auxiliary type members 9, then after the supporting frame H has been swung into its lowered position the operator grasps the handle 21 and pulls the carrier or auxiliary frame forwardly as shown by the full and dotted lines, Fig. 3. This will bring the type members 9 into a position in front of the type wheels 2 so that said auxiliary type members 9 can be readily removed from the auxiliary frame or replaced therein. After the desired change has been made in the auxiliary type members 9 then U the auxiliary frame is slid backwardly into its operative position and the main supporting frame I l may then be raised to bring the parts into the position shown in Fig. 1.

In order to enable the high point 39 of the auxiliary type members 9 to clear the type-carry ing projection 4a when the auxiliary frame is pulled forwardly, the track 29 on which the auxiliary frame slides is formed with a depression 40 adjacent its rear end, this depression being so situated that as soon as the auxiliary frame or carrier 13 has been moved forwardly a short distance the end 4| of the flanges [9 pass over the depression, thus allowing the rear end of the carrier or auxiliary frame [3 to drop downwardly slightly as shown in full lines, Fig. 3. This will carry the high point 39 of the rear type members 9 below the type-carrying projection 4a of the type wheels so that the auxiliary frame can be pulled forwardly into a position to render the rear auxiliary type members 9 accessible.

The handle 21 is formed with a tailpiece or latch 42 which is adapted to yiel-dingly engage underneath the tie bar l6 as shown in Fig. 1, thereby to hold the auxiliary frame in its operative position. When the auxiliary frame is to be pulled forwardly, as shown in Fig. 3, the operator presses upwardly on the handle 2? which will cause the rods 25 to flex or yield sufficiently to disengage the latch 42 from the tie rod l6 and the operator can then pull forwardly on the handle and thus move the auxiliary frame into its open position.

Where the type characters 8 and N) are situated closely adjacent the head ends of the type members I and 9, then the printed impression which the marking machine will make will be such as indicated in Fig. 11 wherein the line a is that printedby the type characters 5 of the printing wheel, the line b is that printed by the type characters iii of the rear type auxiliary members 9 and the line 0 is that printed by the type characters 8 of the front auxiliary type characters '5.

Sometimes it is desirable to print two additional lines on one or both sides of the line indicated at a, and if this result is desired then some of the auxiliary type members will have the type characters situated closely adjacent the head end, as shown in Fig. 7, and others will have the type members situated back from the front end as shown in Fig. 8. In printing the two lines by means of the type members such as shown in Figs. '7 and 8 the type members 7 shown in Fig. 7 will be arranged alternately with the type members la shown in Fig. 8, as illustrated in Fig. 17, and the type characters 8 of the type members i will print the line indicated at d in Fig. 12, while the type characters 8a of the type member Ta will print the line indicated at e in said Fig. 12. By making the same modification 0f theauxiliary type members 9 it will be possible to make a printed impression having the two lines 1 and g above the line a as shown in Fig. 12.

In Figs. 9 and 16 there is shown an auxiliary type member formed to print some design or word. This type member, which is indicated generally at 43, is formed with two side members 44,'each having the general shape of the auxiliary type members I and 9, said side members being connected by a web or portion 45, the under face of which is formed to print the desired design or word, such, for instance, as indicated at i in Fig. 13. The two side members 44 are formed at one end with the open slots 46 to re ceive the rods 22 or 23 and at the other end with the downwardly extending open slots 4'! to fit over the rods 2i or 24. These type members may be placed in or removed from the auxiliary frame or carrier it in the same manner that the individual type members i or 9 are.

If it is desired to make a printed impression including the word or design 2' and also including a line it situated between the design and the line a which is printed by the type wheels, then we may use the structure shown in Figs. 9 and 10. In Fig. 9 the type member 13 is made so that the edge 6! of the web 45 is spaced somewhat from the head end of the member and this type member 43 maybe used in connection with the type member 'ib such as shown in Fig. 10 to print the additional line h. This type member 'ib is similar to the type member 1 in that it has the open slot 28 at the head end thereof and the vertical open slot 29 at the rear end to engage the rods 23, 24, and it also has the type character 8 closely adjacent the head end. The under side of the type member 7b, however, is cut away as shown at 48 to a depth equal to the thickness of the Web 43 so that the type member 11) may be engaged with the rods 23, 24 at a point between the sides d4 of the type member 43, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1. When the type members lb are in place the type characters 8 thereon will be situated in front of the edge Gl' of the web 43 and said web will occupy the cutaway portion 48 of said type member. The characters 8 of the auxiliary type members 12) are thus situated closely adjacent the operative type-bearing projections l of the type wheels and the printed impression which can be made will include the line a made by the type wheels, the design 2' and a line 71. situated between the design and the line a as shown in Fig. 13.

We claim:

1. A printing head for a marking machine comprising a plurality of independently adjustable type wheels, each having on its periphery typecarrying projections, a type-supporting frame, auxiliary type members removably supported by said frame and shaped to engage and bear against the periphery of the type wheels adjacent the type-carrying projections that are in printing position, whereby the printing pressure to which the auxiliary type members are subjected is transmitted directly to the type wheels, and means securing said frame to said printing head for movement both in a vertical direction to separate the auxiliary type members from the type wheels and in a forward direction to render the auxiliafy type members accessible for interchanging them.

2. A printing head for a marking machine comprising a plurality of independently adjustable type wheels, each having t me-carrying projections, a type supporting frame secured to said head for movement toward and from the type wheels and also for forward sliding movement, and type members removably carried by said frame, said type members being shaped to engage and bear against the periphery of the type wheels, whereby the printing pressure to which the type members are subjected is transmitted directly to the type wheels.

3. A printing head for a marking machine comprising a plurality of independently adjustable type wheels, each having type-carrying characters on its periphery, a type-supporting frame, auxiliary type members removably carried by the frame and situated in the rear of the line of type characters on the type wheels that are in printing position, each auxiliary type member being of a shape to engage and bear against a type wheel when said member is in printing position, whereby the pressure to which the type members are subjected during the printing operation is transmitted directly tothe type wheels and means securing said type-supporting frame to the printing head for movement both in a vertical direction away from the type wheels and in a forward direction to bring the type members into a position in front of the type wheels where said type members can be readily removed from the frame.

4. A printing head for a marking machine comprising a plurality of independently adjustable type wheels, each having a plurality of printing characters on its periphery, a type-supporting frame, type members removably carried by the frame and situated both in the front and in the rear of the line of type characters on the type wheels that are in printing position, each member having a shape to engage and bear against a type wheel when said member is in printing position, whereby the pressure to which said type member is subjected during the printing operation is transmitted directly to the type wheel and means securing said type-supporting frame to the printing head for movement both in a vertical direction away from the type wheels and in a forward direction to bring all the type members into a position in front of the type wheels.

5. A printing head for a marking machine having a plurality of independently adjustable type wheels, each having type-carrying projections on its periphery and recesses between said projections, a supporting frame pivoted to the printing head, an auxiliary frame slidably mounted in the supporting frame, and auxiliary type members removably carried by the auxiliary frame, said auxiliary type members having portions which are received in the recesses adjacent the type-carrying projections that are in printing position and which bear against the type wheels, whereby the pressure to which said type members are subjected during the printing operation is transmitted directly to the type wheels.

6. A printing head for a marking machine having a plurality of independently adjustable type wheels, each having a plurality of type characters on its periphery, a supporting frame pivoted to the printing head and movable from operative position to a position separated from the type wheels, an auxiliary frame slidably mounted in the supporting frame, and auxiliary type members removably carried by the auxiliary frame, some of which type members are on the front side and some of which are on the rear side of the line of characters on the printing wheels that are in printing position when said frames are in. operative position, and all of said auxiliary type members having portions which engage and bear against the type wheels adjacent the type characters that are in printing position, whereby the pressure to which the type mmebers are subjected during the printing operation is transmitted directly to the type wheels.

7. A marking machine comprising a printing head having a plurality of independently adjustable type whels, each having type-bearing projections, a supporting frame pivoted to said printing head, said frame having spaced side rails connected by rods, auxiliary type members removably supported by said rods, each type member having at one end a horizontal open slot to receive one rod and at its other end a vertical open slot to receive another rod, the top side of each auxiliary member having a. shape to fit the recess between adjacent type-bearing projections.

8. A marking machine comprising a printing head having a plurality of independently adjustable type wheels, each having type-bearing projections, a supporting frame pivoted to said printing head, said frame having spaced side rails connected by rods, auxiliary type members removably supported by said rods, each type member having at one end a horizontal open slot to receive one rod and at its other end a vertical open slot to receive another rod, the top side of each auxiliary member having a shape to fit the recess between adjacent type-bearing projections, some of the type members having their type characters closely adjacent the end and other auxiliary type members having their type characters spaced from said end.

9. A marking machine comprising a printing head having a plurality of independently adjust-- able type wheels, each having type-bearing projections, a supporting frame pivoted to said printing head, said frame having spaced side rails connected by rods, auxiliary type members removably supported by said rods, the upper face of said type members having a shape to fit the recess between adjacent type-bearing projections of the type wheels, one of said auxiliary type members having two spaced sides provided with slots to receive the rods and connected by a web having a printing character on its under face, and other type members having slots to receive the rods and being situated between the side members of the first-named type member, said other type members being cut away on their under side to accommodate the web of the first member and having at their ends type characters adjacent the edge of said web.

CLAUDE A. PUTNAM. CHARLES F. ROBBINS. 

